London / New York / Hong Kong ― 16th November 2023 ― Options Technology today celebrates 30 years as the leading infrastructure and market data provider to the global capital markets.
Options’ journey began in 1991 when founder, Nigel Kneafsey, then aged 14, entered a competition in Computer Magazine to build a high-performance workstation. After winning the competition he received a call from the London office of Goldman Sachs who offered him a consulting opportunity to build hardware for the trading floor. A few years later in 1993, when Nigel was legally able to become a company director, Options was incorporated as a hedge fund technology services provider.
Today, the company delivers high-performance managed trading infrastructure and cloud-enabled managed services to leading global investment banks, hedge funds, funds of funds, proprietary trading firms, brokers, dealers, private equity houses, and exchanges.
Nigel Kneafsey, now a board member commented, “From day one we focussed on delivering high tech solutions to meet the most demanding requirements within the Capital Markets. We’ve always focused on hiring world class engineering talent and stayed ahead of the curve by giving them scope to experiment and play with the emerging technology. Our people have been the cornerstone of long-term business success; they allow us to evolve with the sector.”
Danny Moore, President and CEO who has been with the company for 11 ½ years added, “From the moment I joined the company it was clear that the people and culture were the key differentiator. We’d great engineers who could turn their hand to any problem and a culture where everyone chipped in and would do what needed to be done when clients had issues, whatever the day or hour. The combination of technical expertise and client focus sets us apart.
We look forward to celebrating this milestone with our colleagues, clients and partners who have helped us reach this important point in our history.”
Today’s news comes as the latest in a series of exciting developments for Options Technology, including its new five-year global investment in Pure Storage, its announcement of 100Gb ultra-low latency connectivity via StrataNet and its global delivery and seamless 100Gb OPRA data feed migrations.
ENDS
About Options Technology (www.options-it.com):
The company was one of the first cloud infrastructure providers to achieve SOC 2, Type II compliance in 2011 and has continued to hold the certification, which is viewed as the gold standard in data security and third-party governance, particularly across the financial sector.
Options has cemented its position as best in the world at delivering Microsoft Cloud solutions, standing as an unparalleled leader in revolutionizing integrated cloud technology for financial markets by its status as an official Microsoft Solutions Partner.
In 2019, Options received investment from Boston-based Private Equity Firm, Abry Partners. This investment enabled the company to accelerate its growth strategy and develop its technology platform whilst expanding its reach in key financial centres globally.
Options solidified its position in the industry through two strategic acquisitions in 2021. They initially acquired Fixnetix, a move that bolstered its competitive edge and expanded its suite of offerings, followed by the acquisition of Activ Financial, a transformative step that not only expanded its reach but also secured its market data portfolio. These strategic acquisitions enabled Options to provide a comprehensive range of solutions and services to its clients, reinforcing its leadership and dominance in the sector.
Earlier this year, Options announced the creation of 200 new jobs in its Belfast office in conjunction with its award-winning Graduate and Placement Programme, which has enabled the continued growth of the company’s workforce, currently sitting at over 500 globally. Options remain committed to fostering a culture of innovation and excellence, not only by providing exceptional services but also by creating opportunities for talent development and growth.
Options Technology is the No. 1 provider of IT infrastructure to global Capital Markets firms, supporting their operations and ecosystems.
Founded in 1993, the firm began life as a hedge fund technology services provider. Today, the company provides high-performance managed trading infrastructure and cloud-enabled managed services to over 550 firms globally, providing an agile, scalable platform in an Investment Bank-grade Cybersecurity wrapper.
Options clients include the leading global investment banks, hedge funds, funds of funds, proprietary trading firms, market makers, broker/dealers, private equity houses, and exchanges.
In 2019, Options secured a significant growth investment from Abry Partners, a Boston-based sector-focused private equity firm. This investment has enabled Options to considerably accelerate its growth strategy to invest further in its technology platform and expand its reach in key financial centres globally.
Options has been named among the UK’s leading growth companies in the 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, and 2017 Sunday Times HSBC International Track 200 league table.
For more on Options, please visit www.options-it.com, follow us on X (Twitter) at @Options_IT, and visit our LinkedIn page.
About Abry Partners (www.abry.com)
Abry is one of the most experienced and successful sector-focused private equity investment firms in North America. Since its founding in 1989, the firm has completed over $82 billion of leveraged transactions and other private equity or preferred equity placements. Currently, the firm manages over $5.0 billion of capital across their active funds.
For further information, please contact:
Press Contact: Niall McAleer
Email: niall.mcaleer@options-it.com